"Clammy burgers and dirty toilets" - Podcast sheds light on shocking Players Championship conditions
PDCSaturday, 09 November 2024 at 13:00
On the big stages, it's all glitz and glamour that rules the roost. But life on the floor tournaments is much less rosy, as Damian Vlottes, host of the 'Darts Draait Door' podcast recently experienced alongside Jules van Dongen. Vincent van der Voort could only agree that there is still a lot of work for the PDC to do here.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I was with Jules van Dongen in Leicester, a city you don't want to be found dead in anyway," Vlottes began his story. "Our hotel was a twenty-minute walk from the venue and on the way we came across vagrants and homeless people every few meters. Then the best darters in the world walk among them. I thought that was already unusual."
"There is no decent food to be found. You could get a burger with fries, but it was clammy as hell. Not normal. That disappointed me," Vlottes said. "This disappoints me about you," picks up Van der Voort. "Leicester is still one of the better cities for us darters. You've certainly never been to Barnsley...? That's much worse."
Vincent van der Voort bids (temporary) farewell to the PDC after this year
Frying pan
At times, the smell in the room was unbearable. "You can smell right away that the fryer is on," Van der Voort said. "But I also don't know if players are going to take advantage of it if there's suddenly a salad. You see plenty that just eat those burgers. That aspect could be a lot better."
"On TV it looks heartbreaking, but when you go off stage and through the curtain, it's done. Nine times out of ten, you're then just up against a truck. Restrooms, for example, are often not optimal either. In Leicester we had to share 2 or 3 toilets with 200 people. There may well be better looked at by the PDC."
ADVERTISEMENT
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Sophie is an excellent player and an exciting talent. I would have thought such a talented player would certainly be ranked higher than 17. It will be great to see her back at Lakeside and hopefully becoming champion.richieburnettrocks21-07-2026
- How many times can fatty Bunting say listen, listen, listen....... I definitely don't want to see him for another 10 years, although looking at him, I don't think we will...you know what I mean.richieburnettrocks19-07-2026
- Don't worry Vinman, England will not be in the final.richieburnettrocks16-07-2026
- Ultimately, Vin man knew when to call it quits. Barney was excellent and one of the greatest darts player ever, but he just doesn't have that ability anymore. Vinman working in media is only saying what he thinks and I like how he doesn't sugar coat things and is completely honest and direct with his comments. Vinman will probably agree he wasn't really on the same level as Barney in their respective heydays.richieburnettrocks13-07-2026
- I agree that this season the format was a bit stale, it would be better to have some new faces rotated in through the season. I also think they should vary the format a bit as it doesn't count for rankings, they could have different varieties of 501 (e.g. double start) or just different challenges.mikedarts03-07-2026
- I don't really understand why its an issue that Littler doesn't play in the events, they are barely televised so there is no draw for marketing and it gives the other players a better chance to define their narratives. The events are more of a throw back to old events. I agree that the format should be looked at, I don't know why they don't do a more interesting format or vary it through the season to improve interestmikedarts03-07-2026
- This shows they have the prize money structure wrong then (and OoM as a result). Put more £ into the floor, less on the TV and you'll attract more players to attend more often.BandB03-07-2026
- He's admitted his mistakes. He won't be the first or last player to get sent down,or take drugs. I honestly didn't like the lad,but at least he's owning up to his issues. So,good luck. In whatever he decides to dorick6702-07-2026
- Not everyone wants to watch pub players throwing 70 averages for about £500. Premier League is indeed a cash cow, but it does its job of promoting the game. This new suggestion for changes is one of the better ones. Even better if everyone knew what they had to do to qualify and it isn't just a walk-on popularity contest.StraightArrowNoBull01-07-2026
- I have a suggestion,scrap the whole thing. It's a pointless cash cow for anyone in the top 10.rick6730-06-2026
Loading